


Redemption

by Funderbunder



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Disorganized, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Hurt Varian (Disney), Hurt/Comfort, Other, Sad Varian (Disney), Varian Redemption (Disney), Villagers are jerks, but enjoy :), first fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 09:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30003018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Funderbunder/pseuds/Funderbunder
Summary: It’s no secret that the townspeople in Old Corona aren’t a huge fan of Varian. Some don’t bother to mask their disdain for the young alchemist at all, sending him scornful glances as he shuffles down the street with his gaze glued to the floor, hands shoved into the pockets of his apron.Varian, fed up with this unspoken tension between him and the citizens of Corona, tries to find a way to redeem himself. But when an unexpected enemy returns, he becomes entangled in a deeper mess than he bargained for.
Relationships: Angry | Keira & Red | Catalina & Lance Strongbow & Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel/Varian, Quirin & Varian (Disney), Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21





	Redemption

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic, and I am quaking in my fictional boots--my official debut on this site begins here! :)  
> Finals is also next week, and I really don't have time to be doing this right now, but at this point I'd do anything to put off writing my essay. This fic is also... a mess... I will probably have to revise a LOT over the weeks, but I'm impatient and wanted to post this first :D
> 
> so please take this chapter as something like a prologue
> 
> enjoy!

The baby crying is the last straw. 

Scornful looks from _Feldspar_ , of all people (the shoesmith hates everyone all the time anyways, and that’s on good days), Varian could take. Heck, even when the woman carrying the child turns her nose up at him, the alchemist isn’t too surprised; though a pang of hurt still cuts through him like those black rock spikes sprouting around town.

_“Don’t you have a kingdom to be taking over or something?”_

He understands their reaction, of course, but _understanding_ doesn’t stop the lump of disappointment from traveling up his throat, which he struggles to swallow. Varian has done horrible things, yes, and sure, he acknowledges that it’ll take some time to earn Corona’s full trust again. He supposes it was wishful thinking to hope things would go back to the way they once were, before he’d begun his rapid descent into villainy and terrorized the people. And even then he hadn’t exactly been _exuding_ popularity… 

So again, he knows both Feldspar and the woman have more than probable cause to dislike him, which is why the young alchemist tries not to let their dismissive attitude bother him too much (with little success).

Then the baby starts to cry. 

Varian nearly scoffs at its impeccable timing; he’d even call it comedic if he hadn’t been too busy trying to ignore the growing burning sensation behind his eyes. It’s like the finishing act to this three-man Varian hate show--Feldspar’s snide comment, the woman’s _hmph_ of contempt, then finally the baby’s cries to top it all off. _What does it even know_ , Varian wants to grouse, but he quickly banishes the thought; he doesn’t need the townspeople to hate him even more than they already do now.

Despite everything though, the unending wails manage to snap him out of his thoughts. Varian offers a half-smile, awkwardly stepping away from Feldspar and the woman with a nervous chuckle.

“Uh, okay… I’ll just be on my way then.”

The alchemist leaves with a small sigh. He should’ve expected this, to be honest--people in the Capital were affected by his actions as well, not just Old Corona--but Varian had still clung onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, the people here would be more accepting of him than the citizens back home.

Until now, that is. 

Varian has friends here, he knows. He often finds solace in Xavier’s workshop, tinkering with individual projects in each other’s presence as they exchange stories. Lance and Eugene treat him like their little brother, which Varian is grateful for; walking around accompanied by the princess’s boyfriend and his right hand man seem to lessen the glares he receives from the townspeople. Catalina and Red can always be counted on to have fun with, as well.

He’s always welcome in the castle, though he’s still a little wary of King Frederick. Varian can tell the king doesn’t trust him, as if waiting for the alchemist to slip up again so he could strike, or perhaps send him back to that godforsaken prison. He can’t blame him. After all that he’s done, Varian is surprised he is allowed into the castle at all. 

He has Rapunzel to thank for that. She had advocated so strongly for him that even her father, the king, could hardly refuse her demands. Rapunzel… Varian falters in his pace slightly before continuing down the path. He owes her so much, yet has done so little in return for all her efforts; she forgave him after he’d threatened her loved ones, after he had brainwashed her parents and taken over the kingdom, had almost _destroyed_ all of Corona had she not stopped it herself. 

Varian can feel the guilt well up inside him, and he makes little effort to push it down. The young alchemist is so caught up in his thoughts that he almost misses it--a flash of something black in the corner of his eye, and when he turns his head towards the movement, he catches a brief glimpse of a hooded figure just before it turns the corner into an alleyway and is gone. 

Brows furrowed, all thoughts vanish from his mind as Varian slowly makes his way over to the alley where he’d seen the shadowy figure. Suddenly his brain is flooded with new thoughts: _who was that--why did they look so suspect?--maybe I should just mind my own business, what if I end up falsely accusing some innocent villager--everyone would hate me even more, God--_

Shaking his head, Varian stands at the entrance of the alley, carefully studying his surroundings. Better safe than sorry. And besides, he admits he is curious, especially after he turns into the crevice and sees…

Nothing.

The shadowy figure is nowhere to be seen. Some upturned crates, bits and pieces of trash scattered around, but no figure. Had he imagined it? Perhaps he had, and it was all just a manifestation of his shame, his guilt, the stress having finally caught up to his mind. Ignoring the rapid beating of his heart, Varian tears his eyes away from the dark alleyway and steps back, chastising himself for… for what, hallucinating? For worrying about nothing? But there was _something_ there, Varian is sure of it. No matter how much he might try to brush it off as a stress-induced illusion, he knows in his heart that he had definitely seen someone standing there.

He gives the alley one last glance, staring expectantly as if whatever he’d seen would show itself, but nothing happens. Varian sighs again. He brings a hand to his temple, rubbing his eyes--was it a crime to wear a hood in public? Of course not. For all he knows it could be nothing to worry about; the alchemist had more pressing things to deal with.

So, against his instincts, Varian pushes the matter to the back of his mind.


End file.
